I did not enjoy this book one bit. The cringe, the misogyny, and over use of framing within a framing was too much. With how long the book is, I'm surprised I even got halfway. What i have read is a 1.5 star, but that's as far as I am willing to go and I'm confused at all the good reviews praising it.

Reads like a poem. Beautifully written but this one is definitely not for everyone. Unfortunately, I'm one of them too. I honestly expected to enjoy this one a looooot. But... You know... Not for everyone.

I could not get past the fact that this copies the Kingkiller Chronicle in every way it can. Quite frankly surprised it got published in that.

If you fancy reading this book, I would start with Name of the Wind.

This one ended up being a DNF but that was my fault.

The writing was far too lyrical for my personal taste and I found the story to be too similar to The Name of the Wind which I also did not enjoy.

This epic fantasy delves into the life of Ari, a red-headed, magic-wielding storyteller, as he recounts his journey from youth to the present, weaving tales filled with magic, deceit, and adventure.

Ari's narrative is rich and immersive, skillfully blending his present-day exploits with the recounting of his past, from his days as a boy thief to his time at a magic academy. The storytelling is poetic and the worldbuilding intricate, with Virdi painting a vivid picture of the Lands of Tremaine and the Golden Road through Ari's tales. His interactions with the enigmatic Eloine add another layer of intrigue and charm to the story.

The novel's structure, with a significant portion set in the present, provides a dynamic and engaging narrative that feels more immediate and impactful compared to similar works. The book features many classic fantasy elements, including intense training sequences, magical tutelage, complex rivalries, and deep friendships, all presented with a unique sense of wonder and creativity.

Despite its length, the pacing is generally well-managed, though some songs and certain segments may feel drawn out. The intermissions in the present-day storyline sometimes seem like filler, yet they build towards a compelling climax of political intrigue. A few minor inconsistencies in Ari's magical abilities do not detract significantly from the overall enjoyment.

I really, really wanted to like this one, but it just felt like a bit of a slog to get through. The writing was overly descriptive and the story was told in a way that meant I couldn't really get settled into it. I'm probably in the minority with this one because I've seen so many rave reviews, but it just wasn't for me.

A fascinating romp, The First Binding is a great debut by RR Virdi. I am absolutely in awe of the story-telling in this book, and will definitely be on the lookout for more stuff by the author.

Wow. This was one of my anticipated reads and it didn't disappoint at all. The world building and the depth of characters that Virdi created was outstanding. The emotional journey that The First Binding was incredible and I can't wait for the next book to come out.

I found it tough to get into this book. Like many people I feel I there were too many similarities to the Name of the Wind.
BUT
I'm glad I kept going, because very quickly this book picked up. And picked up WELL.

The writing was flowing, poetic, and the story unfolded like a epic rendition. As to be expected from a story told by a performer. It was entertaining through and through.
Ari tells the story of his life, from his childhood working in the theatre, to discovering magic and the horrors it can cause. All the while, in the present, older and a man of legends, he runs from those chasing him.
It is well told, well paced, and the book was very good in its own right, once you look past the very obvious Rothfuss inspirations.

AAAAAMAAZZINGGGG. This was such a good book I honestly can't believe how good it was!!! Highly Highly recommend and can't wait to see what comes next from R. R. Virdi

Preliminary 5-star review. Will post a full review and adjust the rating accordingly after I finish the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC copy of this book, in exchange for this honest review.

This was way too much like Patrick Rothfuss' In The Name of the Wind for me. I didn't get on with that unfortunately and so this wasn't something I could finish. Sorry!

I've tried to read The First Binding so many times and no.

I hate it.

Conceited, dude bro story telling that made me want to chuck my phone at the wall.

Thank you for net galley for sending me a review copy.

Sadly, I did not finish this. I read about 150 pages and the similarities to Name of the Wind ruined the experience for me.

The First Binding has been marketed to me as Name of The Wind as the protagonist is very similar to Rothfuss' character. Reading the story is nuanced and atmospheric. And yet.. it took me a year to finally finish it. Yes it is a thick book but I have devoured thick books before. This book is just not for me as much as I want to love it.
The pacing is much slower than I expected and I fell asleep a lot trying to read each chapter.

dnf @ 25%

this book swept me away by its wonderful yet simplistic prose (think BABEL but more nuance). i really enjoyed reading about ari's past and the myths surrounding all of it. would definitely like to come back to the read, but for now, it was too slow (and the length overwhelmed me) so i couldn't finish this book and offer a proper review.

Unfortunately this one ultimately wasn't for me. It was very slow laced, and ended up being an utter slog to get through. For 800 pages, this took me Iver two months to read. I found I wasn't drawn to picking it back up, as the story just meanders for too long with nothing happening. I need some action in my fantasy. I also found the writing is be really overwrought and strung out. It tries too hard to be a bit flowery and pretentious but it just feels clunky and badly done instead. All round, I just didn't enjoy this very much at all.

Actual rating 4.5/5 stars. This is the first instalment in the Tales of Tremaine series.

I feel I can accurately claim that if you enjoyed The Name of the Wind then you would also love this book. A similar narrative structure appeared, where the reader was introduced to the adult protagonist who then returned to his youth, in a series of lengthy tales, to reveal his life story up until the present moment.

Similarities also appeared in the plucky and hard-headed nature of these characters, who are resilient in the face of the many grievances they face and who prove themselves magically capable in pressurised situations. Due to this, the novel was as full of as much magic and wonder as it was grief and loss and both brought about strong emotional reactions, which further aided in my bonding with the characters who appeared.

Despite my love for the contents of this book, I did feel like a very lengthy read. I anticipated it would take some time, given the page-length, and some brainpower, given the high fantasy setting and magic system. Some portions were less personally interesting than others and I sometimes would set the book aside for days, or read only a handful of pages at a time, before becoming invested again. Once I reached a point in this character's life that appealed, however, I would fly through a hundred pages in a sitting without realising I had failed to move for hours at a time. The latter were more present than the former, hence my high star rating.

This novel was detailed and intricate but also gripping and action-packed, providing the best of the fantasy genre in one gigantic portion. I can't wait to find where this author takes us next!

I could not get into this book which felt very similar to The Name of the Wind. I will perhaps come back to this book another time. In the meanwhile please accept my apology as I couldn't properly review the book.

I ended up DNFing this book - it wasn't quite working out for me. It might be one I revisit some day, but it's not quite right for me now. Thank you to the publisher for providing me a copy for review!